Sorry the delayed game report for Old Glory DC vs. San Diego Legion.

On a cloudy, windy, and cool Saturday afternoon Old Glory DC hosted the San Diego Legion in an East vs West clash between teams expected to make the playoffs. The wind would have a definite affect on both teams. Old Glory DC had 11 handling errors while San Diego only had 6 and those handling errors definitely helped cost OGDC the game.

Right from the kickoff OGDC mishandled the initial reception and were guilty of a knock-on penalty. That gave San Diego a scrum inside OGDC’s half. A kicking game ensued after OGDC managed to turn it over. However, Old Glory’s John Rizzo would fail to handle a high ball from the Legion’s Lincoln McClutchie and knocked it on. That gave San Diego a scrum inside the DC 22 meter line. The Legion advanced down the field working through the phases. Old Glory’s defense seemed to be bending, but not breaking. However, McClutchie slipped through a half gap after freezing OGDC defenders with a fake grubber kick and off loaded to Tiaan Loots who dotted the ball down for a try. McClutchie would then convert the try giving San Diego a 7-0 lead after 5 minutes of play.

A few minutes later, it looked like the Legion were on the verge of scoring again. This time the Old Glory’s defense bent, but did not break and William Talataina eventually forced a turnover. DC then worked their way up the field and into Legion territory. On a San Diego penalty, OGDC tried to go with a quick tap restart that was stopped by the ref. Old Glory’s Jason Robertson elected to go for a penalty kick goal instead. Robertson banged it through the uprights and above the cross bar bringing the score to 7-3 in favor of the Legion after 18 minutes of play.

The game would be back and forth between the two sides until the first half hydration break. Play resumed with an DC controlled scrum after a knock-on by San Diego. Old Glory utilized that platform to again start making their way up the pitch. After some more back and forth play and a series of penalties against both sides, San Diego was guilty of a scrum penalty and Robertson again elected to kick for points. Robertson again put it through the uprights utilizing the wind at his back and the ball went barley over the cross bar. That left the score at 7-6 with San Diego still in the lead after 27 minutes of play.

Continuing to use the wind at their backs as an advantage in the kicking game, Old Glory were again advancing up the field. Several times Old Glory had penalties well within Robertson’s range, but decided to quick tap instead. Those set plays well not immediately effective did enough to suck in the Legion Defense. Robertson found John Rizzo with a wide pass who dotted it down in the corner on the far side of the field in the final minute of regulation in the 1st half. From a difficult angle Robertson attempted to convert the try, but the wind pushed it wide. At half time Old Glory had the lead 11-7.

Going into the wind would create a lot of problems for Old Glory DC offense in the second half. The effect of the wind along with other handling errors and penalties time and again stalled out attacks. That resulted in OGDC being shut out in the second half.

The second half opened as a box kicking match between the two sides once again. Unfortunately for OGDC, one of their kicks didn’t make it to touch and San Diego used their reception to start an attack. It looked like the OGDC defense was holding firm, but a cross field pass caught Old Glory unprepared and San Diego punched it in the corner. TMO called for review as it appeared the long cross field pass may have travelled forward and thus been a penalty. On review, the pass was determined to have travelled backwards and the try was confirmed. From almost the same acute angle that Jason Robertson had failed to convert from in the first half for Old Glory, McClutchie would miss as well for San Diego. After 7 minutes in the second half, and 47 minutes overall, San Diego had retaken the lead 12-11.

Play would continue to be back and forth until shortly after the second half hydration break. Old Glory’s #18, for the match, Cali Martinez was ruled by the ref to have cynically played the ball with his foot and was shown a yellow card. Old Glory was now down a man for the next 10 minutes starting in the 63′. That yellow was shown already deep inside DC’s defensive 22m line. San Diego put the free kick into touch and got a lineout about 5 meters out. A line out from 5 meters out based on MLR statistics over the season is where most tries originate. That held true here as missing a member of the forward pack, Old Glory could not stop the oncoming train of San Diego’s maul off the lineout. Legion Hooker Hugh Roach got the ball from the back of the maul after throwing in the lineout and held on as they bullied their way into the try zone and he dotted the ball down. From a less acute angle San Diego’s Lincoln McClutchie missed another conversion attempt. After 65 minutes of play San Diego was now in the driver’s seat for good at 17-11.

A couple minutes later, 2 Old Glory players collided with each other attempting to field the same high ball off a box kick and knocked it on. That resulted in a free kick to the Legion, which they put into touch for a good attacking platform with a lineout at the 22 meter line. Old Glory stopped that maul and San Diego played through the phases. The defense held firm and Old Glory forced San Diego into touch turning the ball over and getting a lineout. Off the lineout OGDC would move further towards midfield, but turned the ball over on yet another knock-on call. San Diego forced OGDC into a scrum penalty. Rather than electing for a 2nd scrum San Diego elected to kick for points with the wind at their backs. McClutchie scored the penalty kick goal extending the Legion lead to 20-11.

On the following kickoff the man advantage ended and Cali Martinez returned from the sin bin. OGDC went on the attack and had a nice grubber kick, but in attempting to pick it up and keep going OGDC were guilty of another knock-on. On the ensuring scrum, OGDC were guilty of a scrum penalty and San Diego cleared their defensive zone with a free kick to touch and a lineout.

Ball handling issues continued for both teams as attacks for both sides were stymied. As full time neared, San Diego was driving deep into DC’s defensive zone again. A penalty against Old Glory allowed San Diego to set up another lineout 5 meters out. The rolling maul off the lineout again couldn’t be stopped by OGDC and San Diego dotted it down as time expired for their bonus point try. Then McClutchie converted it giving us the final score of 27-11 in favor of San Diego.

Next week Old Glory travels to Charlotte to take on the new expansion team Anthem Carolina. Anthem has yet to win a game this season losing a shootout with Dallas this past weekend. Anthem Carolina is owned by US Rugby and World Rugby and have mostly young American players in an effort to develop American talent. Both World Rugby and US Rugby want the US back into the next Men’s Rugby World Cup in 2027 as the US hosts the one after that in 2031.

https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2024/03/23/san-diego-takes-bonus-point-road-win-over-dc/